Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

Radio Exterior de España to abandon shortwave October 1st

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RadioExteriorDeEspana

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Harold Woering, who recorded the announcement by Radio Exterior de España which mentions the imminent cuts to all shortwave radio broadcasts on October 1, 2014.

I’m confident this time REE’s exit will be permanent unlike the last time REE left the air in 2012.

The announcement is clear, and so is the opinion of the show host who recognizes why shortwave radio is a more accessible platform for many.

Listen to Harold’s recording below from REE’s English language broadcast service Saturday night on 6,055 kHz (00:00 UTC Sunday):

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation

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Sri Lanka as viewed from the International Space Station (Source: NASA)

Sri Lanka as viewed from the International Space Station (Source: NASA)

For your listening pleasure: forty three minutes of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, recorded on 11,905 kHz at 01:15 UTC, Sept 11, 2014.

Sri Lanka BC is not an easy broadcaster to receive in eastern North America, but band conditions on the 10th and 11th were particularly favorable in the higher bands. As you’ll hear in the recording, the signal out of Trincomalee was reasonably strong; I used the WinRadio Excalibur receiver with my horizontal delta loop antenna.

Indeed, looking through the archives, this may be the first time I’ve recorded Sri Lanka BC.

Click here to download the full recording, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Riyadh to receive upgrades

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Saudi_Arabia

(Source: Ampegon press release via Andrea Borgnino)

Turgi, Switzerland, September 12, 2014. Saudi Broadcast Corporation (SBC), Saudi’s National Broadcaster, has contracted Ampegon through undisputed Saudi market leader First Gulf Company (FGC) for the renewal of their radio transmission site in Riyadh. Ampegon will deliver four 500 kW shortwave transmitters, four shortwave antennas HRS 4/4/0.5 and the BroadMaster broadcast control system. The new systems will replace existing analog transmitters with four tubes by modern analog/digital transmitters having single high power tube amplification and hence a much better overall efficiency. Saudi Broadcast Corporation has selected FGC proposal with Ampegon because of the capability of FGC to handle large projects along with Ampegon’s expertise and the reliability of their systems well known since decades. Ampegon had supplied several antenna and transmission systems in the past and feels honored to once again show presence in Saudi Arabia.

The transmitters will be manufactured in Turgi, Switzerland. Factory tests together with SBC engineers are planned for autumn and shipments before end of 2014. Commissioning by an Ampegon engineer will start afterwards and the new systems are expected to be on air within summer 2015.

Engineer Saleh A. Almeghaileeth, Vice-President for Engineering Affairs at SBC, is extremely pleased to work together with Ampegon: “Ampegon offers a complete solution approach including transmitters, antennas, broadcast control systems and DRM integration. We trust on Ampegon’s and FGC’s experience as they had delivered shortwave transmitters in the past that still work to our full satisfaction.”

Incredible band openings tonight

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X1.6 Solar Flare, sunspot 2158 (source: Solar Ham)

X1.6 Solar Flare, sunspot 2158 (source: Solar Ham)

After an X class solar flare that caused a serious HF radio black-out earlier today, we’ve been rewarded with superb radio conditions this evening in North America.

This is, perhaps, one of the best temporary band openings I’ve experienced this year.  Unfortunately, there’s a good chance an incoming CME could wipe out the bands again in the next 12-24 hours. Check out the forecast here: http://www.solarham.net/

But who cares? The following are just some of the stations I logged on 25 and 31 meters this evening.  Note that I didn’t include all of the weak stations I could hear and I also omitted many CRI, RHC, and religious broadcasts:

Starting 22:00 UTC on 25 meters

  • 11780 RN da Amazonia
  • 11810 KBS World Radio
  • 11820 Radio Riyadh
  • 11855 Radio Aparecida
  • 11880 RHC French
  • 11915 Radio Riyadh
  • 11930 Radio Marti
  • 11940 Radio Romania International
  • 11965 RHC? (French)
  • 12050 EWTN (WEWN)

Starting 23:00 UTC on 31 meters

  • 9420 Voice of Iran
  • 9535 Radio Exterior de Espana
  • 9575 Radio Mediterranee International
  • 9620 Radio Exterior de Espana
  • 9645 Radio Bandeirantes
  • 9665 Radio Voz Missionaria (with WRM from other broadcasters)
  • 9740 Radio Romania International (Spanish)
  • 9765 Radio Romania International
  • 9795 FEBC Radio (under heavy QRM)
  • 9850 Radio Tirana
  • 9855 Radio Australia
  • 9875 Radio Free Asia (Tibetan)
  • 9900 (RA?) English
  • 9965 Radio Cairo
  • 10000 WWV

Staring 00:00 UTC on 31 meters

  • 9420 Voice of Iran, then ERT Open (VOG)
  • 9500 Radio Sultanate of Oman
  • 9520 Radio Romania International (Romanian)
  • 9535 Radio Exterior de Espana
  • 9550 Radio Boa Ventade
  • 9570 China Radio International English
  • 9530 Radio Transmundial
  • 9620 Radio Exterior de Espana
  • 9630 China National Radio 1
  • 9645 Radio Bandeirantes
  • 9665 Radio Voz Missionaria
  • 9690 All India Radio
  • 9700 Radio Romania International
  • 9710 China Radio International (Portuguese)
  • 9730 Adventist World Radio (Burmese)
  • 9800 China Radio International (Spanish)
  • 9810 Radio Havana Cuba
  • 9820 Radio 9 de Julho
  • 9880 Voice of America (Chinese)
  • 9930 The Overcomer Ministry
  • 9955 Radio Marti ?
  • 9965 Radio Cairo
  • 10000 WWV

Staring at 01:00 UTC on 25 meters

  • 11580 The Overcomer Ministry
  • 11590 NHK Radio Japan (Hindi)
  • 11620 All India Radio (Urdu)
  • 11640 Radio Free Asia (Uyghur)
  • 11650 China Radio International (Chinese)
  • 11670 Radio Havana Cuba (Spanish)
  • 11695 Radio Free Asia (Tibetan) ? QRM from another station
  • 11711 Radio Argentina Exterior
  • 11730 Vatican Radio (Tamil)
  • 11740 All India Radio (Sinhala)
  • 11760 Radio Havana Cuba (Spanish)
  • 11765 Radio Tupi – Super Radio Deus e Amor
  • 11780 RN da Brasilia
  • 11815 Radio Brasil Central
  • 11825 The Overcomer Ministry
  • 11840 Radio Havana Cuba (Spanish)
  • 11855 Radio Aparecida
  • 11870 EWTN – WEWN (Spanish)
  • 11905 Sri Lanka BC (English/Hindi)
  • 11925 Radio Bandeirantes
  • 11945 Radio Free Asia (Uyghur) & jamming noise
  • 11955 Radio Romania International (French)
  • 11980 China Radio International (Amoy) – vy faint
  • 11995 BBC (Hindi) vy faint
  • 12005 Voice of Vietnam (English)
  • 12020 Voice of America – Deewa Radio (Pashto)
  • 12025 UNID (Spanish / religious)
  • 12070 POssible Radio Cairo behind strong jamming or transmitter noise
  • 12105 WTWW (English)
  • 12115 Radio Free Asia (Burmese)?

Enjoy this opening while it lasts! As my buddy Mike (K8RAT) suggested earlier today, we may be rewarded with further openings if the incoming CME only glances Earth–not probable, but possible.

I’m curious how conditions have been in other parts of the world? If you’ve been enjoying this band opening, please comment with stations you’ve logged.

Wavescan contest: “rare, unusual, unique QSLs”

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WavescanContest

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Tom Ally, who shares a link to Wavescan‘s 2014 Annual DX Contest where you are invited to share your rare, unique and unusual verifications.

(Source: AWR Wavescan)

Shortwave listeners, international radio monitors and DXers around the world are invited to search their collection of QSL cards and letters for rare, unusual and unique verifications. You are invited to make up a list (up to 5 in number) of your QSLs in this collective category, and to write a short paragraph about each. Partial entries for this year’s contest are considered to be valid.

Prize: At the conclusion of the contest, we at Wavescan are planning to write up and publish a detailed compilation of interesting information on a world wide basis about the rare, unusual and unique QSLs that come to light in this way. This will be the first occasion in the history of international radio broadcasting for the compilation of such a QSL list, and you all are invited to submit entries.

Submission period: Through September 2014.

Click here for full details…

From Moscow With Love via WRMI

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FromMoscowWithLove

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Tom Ally, who informed me that WRMI is now relaying From Moscow With Love on 9,955 kHz, Mondays at 11:00 PM EDT (Tuesdays, 3:00 UTC).

Many thanks to Jeff White at WRMI for keeping one of my favorite VOR shows on the air.

You can view WRMI’s full schedule for 9,955 kHz by clicking here.